I Love Being Sober

What if addiction is not a failure, but a signal? What if the cravings, anxiety, and emotional spirals you've been fighting are actually your body trying to tell you something? Tim Westbrook sits down with faith-led wellness guide, registered dental hygienist, and author Melissa-Sue Methven for a conversation on addiction recovery, emotional suppression, nervous system regulation, and the hidden language of the body.

After losing her husband to suicide following a long struggle with mental health and addiction, Melissa-Sue began asking the deeper question — why. That single word led her into the work she now shares around the world: helping people reconnect to their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and move out of shame and into awareness.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why addiction is best understood as a signal from the nervous system, not a moral failure
• How emotional suppression silently drives cravings, anxiety, and chronic illness
• Practical nervous system regulation tools you can use the moment a craving or panic wave hits
• How to create real internal safety — the precondition for any lasting recovery
• A live breathwork practice you can return to anytime
• How faith, surrender, and self-trust support healing without dogma
• What families of loved ones lost to addiction or suicide most need to hear

Whether you're in early recovery, long-term sobriety, supporting someone you love, or simply curious about the mind-body connection in healing, this conversation offers a compassionate reframe and tools you can use today.

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What if everything you’ve been told about addiction treatment is wrong?

In this powerful episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Jimmie Applegate — transformational consultant, treatment center owner, U.S. Air Force veteran, and author of Addicted to Failure: Why the Rehab System Doesn’t Work and What Must Change — for a conversation that challenges everything the addiction treatment industry doesn’t want you to hear.

Jimmie pulls back the curtain on a $16 billion industry with a 60–90% failure rate, exposing why so many people relapse after completing rehab — even when they do everything right — and why the system keeps blaming the patient instead of fixing the model. Drawing on neuroscience, personal lived experience, and years of frontline treatment work, Jimmie makes the case that the 30-day treatment model is not just ineffective — it’s incompatible with how the brain actually heals from addiction.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why rehab keeps failing people — and who’s really responsible
• The biggest myths about addiction still being taught in treatment today
• What neuroscience actually says about how long recovery takes
• What genuinely personalized, individualized care looks like
• How to reframe repeated relapse as a system failure — not a personal one
• The 10forAddiction movement making treatment accessible for everyone

Whether you’re in recovery, supporting a loved one, or working in behavioral health, this episode will challenge your assumptions, validate your experience, and leave you with a completely new lens on what healing really requires.

🎙️ Listen now. Share with someone who needs to hear it.

📖 Addicted to Failure is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

🔗 jimmieapplegate.com | beaconcharities.com | 10foraddiction.com

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In this powerful episode of I Love Being Sober, we dive into the reality of mental health, pressure, and personal transformation in today’s fast-paced, social media-driven world – and how one mental reset can help deal with it all.

Recorded live at Camelback Recovery, this conversation explores what happens when success on the outside doesn’t match how you feel on the inside. We talk about the breaking point that forces change, the courage it takes to step away and focus on mental health, and what it really looks like to rebuild your life from the ground up.

You’ll hear insights on managing stress, navigating identity in the age of social media, and redefining what “mental strength” actually means. This episode also breaks down common misconceptions about treatment and highlights practical tools that can be used every day to create balance, clarity, and long-term growth.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or like you’re constantly pushing through without slowing down—this conversation is for you.

What You’ll Learn:

• The hidden mental health challenges behind success and social media
• How to recognize when it’s time to step back and reset
• Tools for managing stress, pressure, and daily life
• The truth about treatment and personal growth
• How to build a more balanced, intentional life

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In this episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with Andrew Engbring, co-founder of Reflection Family Interventions, to break down why most addiction interventions fail—and what families can do differently to create real, lasting recovery.

Too often, families are told to wait for “rock bottom” or simply attend support groups while their loved one struggles. But according to Andrew, this outdated approach can actually make things worse—delaying recovery, increasing risk, and leaving families without the structure and guidance they truly need.

Drawing on years of experience leading high-stakes interventions and working with hundreds of families, Andrew shares a powerful, family-centered model that reframes intervention as a process—not a one-time event. This conversation dives into the critical role families play in recovery, the biggest mistakes that lead to relapse, and how early, structured intervention can change the trajectory of someone’s life.

If you’ve ever tried to help someone you love and felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what to do next—this episode will give you clarity, direction, and hope.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why most interventions fail to create lasting change
• The truth about “rock bottom” and why waiting is dangerous
• How addiction impacts the entire family system
• What effective, structured family involvement actually looks like
• The biggest mistakes families make when trying to help
• How to take action—even if your loved one doesn’t want help yet
• This episode is for individuals in recovery, families navigating addiction, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of how healing actually happens.

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In this powerful live episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Camelback Recovery for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation on addiction, recovery, and the future of mental health care in America. Known globally for his work in law, public health, and policy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also brings decades of personal experience in recovery. In this candid discussion, he shares his journey through addiction, what it took to get sober, and the daily practices that have helped him maintain long-term recovery.

Together, Tim and Robert explore what real recovery looks like beyond abstinence, the role of community and purpose, and why addiction must be treated as a chronic condition—not a short-term crisis. They also dive into critical issues facing the current system, including where treatment is falling short, the need for long-term, outcomes-driven care, and how aligning incentives could transform recovery outcomes across the country.

Recorded live in front of clients and staff at Camelback Recovery, this episode concludes with an open and honest Q&A, offering insight, connection, and hope for anyone on the path to recovery.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s personal recovery journey
• What it really takes to get and stay sober
• The role of community, service, and purpose in long-term recovery
• Why the current addiction treatment system is broken
• What real, lasting recovery should look like
• The future of addiction and mental health care in America

About this episode

This episode was recorded on April 4, 2026, at Camelback Recovery's residential treatment campus in Peoria, Arizona, during U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Arizona visit as part of the "Take Back Your Health" tour.

The visit is documented in an official HHS press release, which states that "Camelback Recovery in Peoria welcomed Secretary Kennedy on a tour of the facility's residential treatment campus," and that "Secretary Kennedy then joined Camelback Recovery chief executive and co-founder Tim Westbrook to record an episode of the I Love Being Sober podcast."

Read the HHS release: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/secretary-kennedy-advances-maha-agenda-arizona-focus-prevention-recovery-tribal-health.html

Most people in recovery assume they have a broken brain, and it hinders them from getting better. But it is not the case. Every person in recovery always has a chance to succeed – all they need is the right support and treatment methods. Tim Westbrook is joined by Dr. Jason Giles, founder of Addiction Doctors, who has been helping people recover from addiction not just through clinical expertise but also real-life experience. He shares how he discards the notion of having a broken brain after going through addiction, and instead focuses on a long-term, intergenerational approach that focuses on the actual root of the problem. Dr. Giles also dispels the misconceptions about willpower, the three important things that make a difference in recovery, and how breathwork and meditation can lead to a powerful mindset shift.

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This episode is a little different, and it might be exactly what you need. Instead of just talking about addiction recovery, self-love, and healing. We’re inviting you to experience it. Donny Starkins is here to offer a powerful conversation on self-love in recovery, exploring why so many people struggle with unworthiness, shame, and low self-worth, especially in early sobriety. You’ll learn how self-abandonment shows up in everyday life, what self-love actually looks like in action, and how mindfulness, discomfort, and presence can become powerful tools for growth. Then we shift.

This episode transitions into a live, guided self-love workshop with Donny, designed to help you reconnect with yourself, regulate your nervous system, and build real confidence and inner worth from the inside out. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough, either you have struggled with guilt or shame, or are looking for practical tools to support your mental health and recovery journey, this episode is for you. This isn’t just something to listen to. It’s something to experience.

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In this episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Jack Wolfson, a board-certified cardiologist known as the Natural Heart Doctor, for a powerful conversation about heart health, longevity, and the lifestyle habits that truly prevent disease.

Dr. Wolfson spent years practicing conventional cardiology in one of Arizona’s largest heart groups before questioning the traditional medical model. Today, he focuses on root-cause medicine, helping people prevent and reverse heart disease through nutrition, lifestyle changes, environmental awareness, and holistic health practices.

Recorded live at Camelback Recovery Outpatient Treatment Center, this conversation explores the deep connection between mental health, stress, addiction recovery, and cardiovascular health.

Tim and Dr. Wolfson discuss why modern medicine often treats symptoms instead of causes, how chronic stress and trauma impact the heart, and what people in recovery can do to rebuild both their physical and mental health.

If you care about longevity, natural health, mental wellness, and living a sober lifestyle that supports long-term vitality, this episode will give you practical insights you can start applying immediately.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why heart disease remains the leading cause of death
• The connection between stress, mental health, and heart health
• Lifestyle habits that support longevity and disease prevention
• The role of nutrition and inflammation in cardiovascular health
• Environmental toxins and their impact on the body
• How people in addiction recovery can rebuild physical health
• Simple daily habits that support long-term wellness

About Dr. Jack Wolfson

Dr. Jack Wolfson is a board-certified cardiologist, bestselling author of The Paleo Cardiologist: The Natural Way to Heart Health, international speaker, and founder of Natural Heart Doctor. His work focuses on preventing heart disease through natural and holistic approaches that address the root causes of illness.

Learn more and assess your own heart attack risk here

About the Podcast

I Love Being Sober is a podcast hosted by Tim Westbrook, exploring addiction recovery, mental health, biohacking, and the lifestyle practices that support a fulfilling sober life.

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In this powerful live conversation recorded at Camelback Recovery, Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Don Middleton to explore the intersection of faith, addiction medicine, and lasting transformation.

Dr. Middleton is a board-certified physician with more than 30 years in family medicine and currently practices addiction medicine at the internationally renowned Meadows Behavioral Health in Wickenburg, Arizona. He also serves as medical director at Vital 4 Men and was named Arizona Physician of the Year at the state medical convention.

In this episode, we dive into his book The Dunamis Effect: When Your Higher Power Is Jesus and discuss what happens when Christian faith becomes the foundation of 12-step recovery.

This conversation covers:

• Christian 12-step recovery and the meaning of “Dunamis”
• The role of Jesus as a Higher Power in addiction recovery
• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and faith-based recovery
• The balance between science, scripture, and sobriety
• Rebuilding identity after addiction
• Overcoming shame after relapse
• The future of Christian recovery ministries

Dr. Middleton also shares his perspective on the controversy surrounding medications in recovery and how medical science and spiritual transformation can work together — not against each other.

Whether you’re early in recovery, a treatment professional, part of a Christian recovery ministry, or simply curious about the role of faith in sobriety, this episode offers practical insight and hope.

Learn more about Dr. Middleton’s work:

📘 The Dunamis Effect: When Your Higher Power Is Jesus (Available on Amazon)

🌐 https://dunamisinitiative.com

📱 Follow “Dunamis Initiative” on Facebook and YouTube

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In this powerful episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with award-winning singer/songwriter, vocal coach, and woman in recovery Shylah Ray Sunshine for an honest conversation about sobriety, childhood trauma, motherhood, and the healing power of the human voice.

Raised by parents struggling with alcoholism, Shylah shares how early exposure to addiction shaped her life — and how finding 12-step recovery helped her break generational patterns and begin deep emotional healing. She opens up about becoming a mother while navigating her own trauma recovery, balancing career and spiritual growth, and what it truly means to “come home to yourself.”

Together, Tim and Shylah explore:

• Growing up in an alcoholic household and finding recovery
• The role of 12-step programs in healing trauma
• Breaking generational cycles through sobriety
• Motherhood and recovery
• Quitting smoking and reclaiming the physical voice
• How trauma lives in the body — and in the voice
• Music as medicine and facilitating healing through sound
• Using breath, vibration, and expression as tools for transformation

Shylah also shares insights from her work as a professional vocal coach and creator of Soul Voice Singing, explaining how reconnecting with your voice can unlock emotional freedom, self-expression, and spiritual alignment. This episode bridges addiction recovery, trauma healing, creativity, and spirituality — offering hope and practical insight for anyone seeking deeper healing. If you’ve ever struggled to speak your truth, break unhealthy patterns, or reconnect with your authentic self, this conversation is for you.

About the Guest

Shylah Ray Sunshine is a multi-award-winning Neo-Soul and R&B artist, DJ, professional vocal coach, and proud First Nations Algonquin woman based in Los Angeles. Her music has been shared worldwide, and her work focuses on healing, empowerment, and authentic expression.

Learn more about Shylah Ray Sunshine and her Soul Voice Singing work at:

www.shylahraysunshine.com

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